Moviegoers have been sold popcorn at three local cinemas in buckets in China containing brightening chemicals that can lead to cancer. As per Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau, Tianshan Cinema and Cloud Nine Shopping Mall Cinema in Changning District and BroadBand International Cineplex in Luwan District sold the snack in cartons tainted with fluorescent material. The buckets were produced by two companies in Taizhou and Wenzhou, both in Zhejiang Province. Movie fans were concerned by the results of the tests. The three cinemas are now using safe buckets.
The quality test came following reports that some Beijing theaters had been found using popcorn buckets containing the hazardous material. Fluorescent brightener is banned in paper food packaging as it can lead to cancer. To reduce costs, some manufacturers use waste paper to make food packaging, which is prohibited by law, then add brightener chemicals to whiten the paper.